- vcf-midatlantic - lists.vcfed.org

Warehouse on Saturday
by Evan Koblentz 30 May '19

30 May '19

For everyone attending this weekend's workshop: After today's haul from Delaware, Steve and I were not able to unload the truck until about 5:30, which was precisely the time when a MASSIVE THUNDERSTORM arrived in Wall Township. We emptied the truck as fast as humanly (nerdily?) possible for our own safety and that of the computers. It was not confidence-inspiring standing inside a big metal box while my phone blared out the "emergency storm warning" tone. We put everything immediately inside the warehouse doors and then got out of Dodge. I won't be there until Saturday mid/late-afternoon, so if you go in the warehouse before that, you will find an incredible mess of incredible stuff! Feel free to move things to the side as needed, but PLEASE DO NOT start putting things away, because there are specific places that I need to put it all. It'll get done by the end of the weekend. Thanks for understanding -- usually the messes are because I procrastinate; this time it was about personal safety.

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RIP: John Parsons
by William Sudbrink 30 May '19

30 May '19

I have unfortunately just discovered that John Parsons, who shared my interest in the Cromemco Cyclops and spoke at VCF East XI, passed away on March 29th: https://www.kentandpelczarfh.com/obituary/john-parsons Bill S. --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus

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Re: OT Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Saturday : evening plans?
by Laura S. Reinhard 29 May '19

29 May '19

for real I am not about plugging stuff. I am not even on the team officially yet. i just think its a lot of fun and you guys would enjoy it. apologies if I am out of order (dodging any tech debris that may be en route to my head) 😂 Best, Laura S. Reinhard

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Saturday
by Evan Koblentz 29 May '19

29 May '19

I can't be at the workshop until Saturday afternoon. Not sure what time; probably around 3-4 but that is a guess. -- Evan Koblentz, executive director Vintage Computer Federation www.vcfed.org evan(a)vcfed.org (646) 546-9999 VCF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization

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Workshop Barbecue this weekend
by Jeffrey Brace 28 May '19

28 May '19

For this weekend’s repair workshop, I am going to get out the VCF grill for barbecuing some burgers. VCF will provide burgers, buns, ketchup, cheese, soda, plates, napkins. If you want anything more, then please bring it yourself. -- ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President Vintage Computer Federation

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Repair Workshop Info for June 2019
by Jeffrey Brace 28 May '19

28 May '19

As a reminder the workshop is $10 *per* person, *per* day. Sorry this is InfoAge's rule and not our decision. So that means for two days it is $20. Sign up quickly to guarantee a table. DATE: June 1 & 2 LOCATION: InfoAge Building 9032A - (2201 Marconi Road, Wall Township, NJ) TIME: Start about 10 A.M. on Saturday and ends whenever we go to sleep. End about 5 P.M. on Sunday. (Starts around 10 A.M. Sunday morning) SIGNUP: < https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cdRaUOarYmLe0c7Veddzl4HhOqB1BXTgTCQ… > COST: - $10 per person, PER day. This is required by InfoAge for us to pay for renting the space. - $25 for those wanting to stay overnight (Money goes to InfoAge). Please pay me when you get there so that I don't forget and then have to spend time chasing you down. Credit cards accepted. I will be using VCF's PayPal Here tablet with bluetooth credit card machine. OVERNIGHT: Bring your own pillow, blankets, soap etc. We provide a bed frame and an uncovered mattress. There are showers and a kitchen for your use. - You can pay via PayPal to paypal(a)vcfed.org. or to me via cash or credit card in person. EQUIPMENT: - VCF will provide a table and you can use any available electrical outlet. - Bring your own tools, power strips, power cords, and supplies etc. - If you need particular tools that you don't know or particular parts, please post to the list for those going. They may have what you need. Let them know ahead of time. - Please bring an extra one or two power cords as these are often forgotten by people. DRINKS: You should bring your own. I would recommend bringing a cooler of some type. FOOD: This time we will try something different. We are going to cook some burgers for lunch and dinner. No frills, so if you want anything extra, you provide your own. GATE: During the hours from 1 pm to 5 pm close the front gate behind you. We want museum visitors to go to the front lobby and not wander through the middle of the campus. Outside of those times, you can feel free to leave the gate open. PARKING: Park across from 9032 or 9010A on any blacktop area. InfoAge doesn't like us parking on the lawn anymore. QUESTIONS? Contact Evan : 646 - 546 - 9999 <646-546-9999> or evan @ vcfed.org <evan(a)vcfed.org> or myself (Jeff) : 732 - 759 - 1783 <732-759-1783> or jeffrey @ vcfed.org <jeffrey(a)vcfed.org> Have fun everyone! -- ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President Vintage Computer Federation

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] B&C Microsystems EEPROM software
by Matt Reynolds 28 May '19

28 May '19

Herb, It's vintage, which is why I thought I'd take a stab at asking you folks. The motherboard says it was made in 1989. 1. It is screen printed in the name on the device that it is rs-232. 2. I can try and use PuTTY and see if that works but I'm sure it needs more than that. 3. I'm trying to set this device up so i can read\burn EEPROMS, so I'd have to buy\use something else to read the one inside of it.. There is an 8085 processor in it. There is also an 8155 and 8251. 4. This may have been common in the past, but I'm only four years older than the device itself. I've never had to do it, I'm trying to learn about it, which is why I bought it in the first place :) I am not giving up hope that the software is out there somewhere. The software for it's more expensive relative is on bitsavers, I will probably try and install it and see what it does regardless. Maybe I'll get lucky and it will work. I'll also try the straight up serial connection and see what happens. Thanks, Matt On Mon, May 27, 2019, 3:34 PM Herb Johnson via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > > software > > that goes with a B&C Microsystems Inc. UP100 Universal RS232 > E(E)PROM/Micro > > Programmer. > > If this is some modern unit with a single-chip microcontroller, you are > probably out of luck. If not, if it's vintage enough to have a > microprocessor and some ROM and some RAM: > > 1) confirm the unit is "RS-232" or serial. Many of them used a PC > parallel port. YOu'll have to reverse engineer the circuits at the DB25 > (or DB9) connector. > > 2) If it's really serial, chances are it can be operated with a serial > terminal (or PC running a comm program). You may have to guess at the > baud rates, it may be autobaud, using the first character received to > determine a baud rate. "Hit return a lot.". > > If it's PC parallel, you are mostly out of luck. But there's still: > > 3) if all that fails, Pull the PROM out of the unit - chances are it has > one - and dump it. Of course you'll need an EPROM reader, once, to do > this. Also note the processor in the unit. You may need to disassemble > the code, at least a little. But it may be informative even as an ASCII > dump. > > - Um, this is the kind of thing done, lots of time in the past, to make > sense of some unknown microcomputer. Is this "lost art" now? > > Puzzled, > Herb Johnson > > -- > Herbert R. Johnson, New Jersey in the USA > http://www.retrotechnology.com OR .net >

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Maker Faire C64 Reproductions
by Jeffrey Brace 28 May '19

28 May '19

Besides TheC64 MIni: <https://retrogames.biz/> The Ultimate C64 motherboard replacement: < http://www.1541ultimate.net/content/index.php?option=com_content&view=artic… > The 1541 Mini: < https://www.thefuturewas8bit.com/shop/commodore/sd2iec-c.html?gclid=EAIaIQo… > Cases: <https://www.breadbox64.com/c64-peripherals/new-c64c-cases/> Are there other C64 reproductions available? -- ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President Vintage Computer Federation

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Museum report
by Evan Koblentz 28 May '19

28 May '19

There was a CDL (makerspace) barbecue tonight, so Charlotte and I went early to do some organizing in the museum and warehouse. VCFed inherited an Eagle //e (CP/M computer) and Dan Roganti's PET 2001 during VCF East. We moved both of those out of the workshop and into the warehouse. We made room for the Eagle on the E-for-Epson shelving unit. The PET went with our other PETs; there was plenty of space in that section. We made a new "C" shelving unit for our two Canon Cats, and we're getting a third one soon. I am not sure what else will go on that unit. We made another P-for-portables shelving unit and filled it about halfway. Now all the of extra luggables that were piling up elsewhere are where they belong. Finally -- and this will make Jeff Brace happy -- we made a shelving unit for all of the VCF East show supplies. No more piling that stuff on pallets.

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B&C Microsystems EEPROM software
by Herb Johnson 27 May '19

27 May '19

> software > that goes with a B&C Microsystems Inc. UP100 Universal RS232 E(E)PROM/Micro > Programmer. If this is some modern unit with a single-chip microcontroller, you are probably out of luck. If not, if it's vintage enough to have a microprocessor and some ROM and some RAM: 1) confirm the unit is "RS-232" or serial. Many of them used a PC parallel port. YOu'll have to reverse engineer the circuits at the DB25 (or DB9) connector. 2) If it's really serial, chances are it can be operated with a serial terminal (or PC running a comm program). You may have to guess at the baud rates, it may be autobaud, using the first character received to determine a baud rate. "Hit return a lot.". If it's PC parallel, you are mostly out of luck. But there's still: 3) if all that fails, Pull the PROM out of the unit - chances are it has one - and dump it. Of course you'll need an EPROM reader, once, to do this. Also note the processor in the unit. You may need to disassemble the code, at least a little. But it may be informative even as an ASCII dump. - Um, this is the kind of thing done, lots of time in the past, to make sense of some unknown microcomputer. Is this "lost art" now? Puzzled, Herb Johnson -- Herbert R. Johnson, New Jersey in the USA http://www.retrotechnology.com OR .net

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